Elevator.



No. 643,596. Patented'Feb. I3, |900,

J. FLETCHER.

ELEVATR.

(No Model-T (Application filed Sept. 14, 1899.)

2 shams-sheet L No. 643,596. Patented Feb.. la, |900. .1. FLETCHER.

ELEVATGR.

(Application filed Bept. 14, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FI G-,5-

\ frame.

UNTTEE STATES PATENT ErrcE.

JOHN FLETCHER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- EIGHTHS TO HARRY W'. SPROSON, OF SAME PLACE.

ELEVATOR.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N' o. 643,596, dated February 13, 1900. Application led September 14, 1899. Serial No. 730,427. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Elevator, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to elevators; and the object in view is to prevent what is known as overwinding, so that when the elevator is elevated to a point close to the pulleys and other mechanism at the top of the elevatorshaft the elevator will at such point be automatically uncoupled from the hoisting-cable. In connection with the uncoupling device it is necessary to employ means for catching and holding the elevator-car in order to prevent the same from falling to the bottom of the shaft.

This invention contemplates novel mechanism for carrying out the objects above enumerated, and the advantages and other objects of the invention will appear more fully in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, andernbodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of an elevator-car, showing the uncoupling device and also the holding or safety device in engagement with the guides. Fig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. l looking toward one side of the elevatorshaft, showing one of the guides with its double-faced rack-bar and the dogs which engage therewith. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the shackle-jaw-actuating rods, showing the guides for the rod and the roller carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper portion of the car, showing the independent movable crosshead and shackle arranged therein. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the parts of the shackle disasso.- ciated. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the spring-housings of the shackle- Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section through one of the jaw-actuating rods and a guide therefor, the movable cross-head being also shown in section. Fig. S is an enlarged detail horizontal section through the combined guide and double rack-bar. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5 with the adjacent frame or side plate removed.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In illustrating the invention I have shown merely the outline of an elevator-car, l designating the cross-head at the top of the car, 2 the floor, and 3 the seats arranged at opposite sides of the car.

While I have illustrated a passengerelevator car, it is not to be understood that the improvements hereinafter described are adapted for use only in connection with such type of car, as said improvements are particularly advantageous in connection with freightelevators and lifts or hoist-s in mines, where the cars are most frequently operated by an attendant who does not travel with the car.

As stated, the object of the present invention is to prevent what is known in the art as overwinding, and for this purpose I provide an independent movable cross-head 4, which is superimposed above the stationary cross-head l and movable toward and away from said stationary cross-head bymeans hereinafter described. The car is supported by and from the movable cross-head 4, and for this purpose there is attached to the crosshead 4 a shackle comprising a frame consisting of plates 5, spaced apartand connected rigidly to the spaced parallel members 6 of the cross-head 4, which members are rigidly held at a distance apart by means of spacingthimbles 7, through which pass bolts orother suitable fasteners S, the said bolts and thimbles'bein g arranged at convenient and necessary intervals. Arranged between the frameplates 5 are twin jaws 9. (Illustrated in detail in Fig. 5.) These jaws have registering openings 10, which also register with openings ll in the frame-plates 5, a pivot or bolt l2 passing through all of the openings and serving as the fulcrum upon which the jaws 9 rock. The plates 5 are provided in their upper ends with open slots or notches 12', and the jaws 9 are provided near their upper ends with curved slots 13, which open outward at IOO the inner overlapping edges of said jaws, the slots 13 of the jaws registering with, but extending transversely to, the notches 12', so that when the jaws are in their normal closed position they, together with the frame-plates 5, form a circular opening for the reception and retention of the pin or bolt 14 of a loop or clevis 15, to which the main hoisting-cable 16 is directly attached. The jaws 9 are also provided at their lower ends with oppositelyproject-ing ears 17, having openings to connect by links 19, as shown, or directly, as preferred, with the inner ends of a pair of jaw-actuating rods or connections 1S. Each of the rods 18 is mounted to slide through one or more guides or brackets 20, and a break-pin 21 of some soft material, such as copper, is inserted through registering openings in one of the guides and the rod 1S for the purpose of holding said rod normally at the outward limit of its movement. The outer end of each rod is forked, as shown at 22, and within the fork is mounted a roller 23, journaled on the horizontal spindle 24. The rollers 23 of the rods 1S travel in proximity to the guides at opposite sides of the elevator-shaft, and when the elevator reaches a predetermined point the rollers 23 come in Contact with other rollers 25, journaled on horizontal axes on the guides and projecting from the inner faces thereof, with the result that the rods 18 are forced inward toward the shackle, breaking the pins 21, forcing inward the lower ends of the jaws 9, and throwing their upper ends outward, which results in releasing the pin or bolt 14, and thereby uncoupling and detaching the elevator-carfrom the hoisting-cable, allowing the cable to be drawn over the sheaves without breaking the car and destroying the overhead mechanism.

In order to arrest the downward movement of the car after the uncoupling takes place, I provide asafety mechanism comprising pivoted dogs 26, fulcrumed intermediate their ends, as at 27, on the frame of the car. These dogs are provided at their adjacent ends with a plurality of teeth 28, enabling the dogs to simultaneously and positively engage with the teeth 29 of a double rack-bar 30, forming part of one of the guides. The opposite ends of the dogs are attached pivotally at 3l to a pair of connecting-rods 32, which extend upwardly and connect pivotally at 33 with laterallyprojecting arms 34 on the movable cross-head 4. Two pairs of dogs are provided on the car, one pair being located adjacent to each guide. The guide is of sectional form, being best illustrated in Fig. 8, where it is seen to comprise an inner plate or section 35,. an outer plate or section 36, and an intermediate section consisting of the double rack-bar 30. The sections 35 and 36 cover The teeth 29 are thus eifectively housed and protected from injury. The several sections are fastened together at suitable intervals by bolts or screws 37 or equivalent means. The car has also attached thereto at suitable intervals shoes 3S of a depth equal to the combined thicknesses of the sections 35, 36, and 30 of the combined guide and rack-bar, and each shoe is provided with oppositely-extending ears 39, having openings 40 to receive fastening devices, by means of which the shoes are secured to the car-body.

Attached to the movable cross-head are rods 41, which extend downward through the stationary cross-head 1 to points near the bottom of the car, where they pass into cylindrical housings 42, arranged, preferably, under the seats 3. lVithin each housing is located one or more springs 43, either of rubber or metal, in spiral form. This spring surrounds the rod 41 adjacent to its lower end and is interposed between a cap 44 at the upper end of the housing and an adjusting-nut 45, threaded upon the rod, by means of which the tension of the spring may be regulated. A jam-nut 46 is also screwed up against the adjusting-nut 45 to prevent said nut from becoming loose.

In order to insure the retention of the jaws 9 of the shackle in closed position and engagement with the cable, each jaw is provided with a laterally-projectingpin 47,which works through a curved slot 48, one in each of the opposing frame-plates Arranged exteriorly upon each plate 5 is a curved housing 49, attached to the plate by means of ears 50, and within the housing is arranged a spring 5l, which acts against the pin 47, tending to urge said pin toward the outer end of the slot 43,' as shown in Fig. 5. In order to secure the guides or brackets 20 to the movable cross-head 4, each bracket is provided with a pair of pendent lugs 52, which bear against the parallel members 6 of the movable cross-head, being held rigidly thereto by means of a bolt or othersuitable fastener 53, passing through the parts 6 and 52 and also through a spacing sleeve or thimble 54.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: When the elevator in its ascent reaches a predetermined point, the rollers 23 and 25 come in contact and coperate to force inward the rods 18. These in turn vibrate the jaws 9, opening the upper ends thereof and releasing the cable, which is allowed to go on. As there is no longer any upward pull on the movable cross-head 4, the springs 43 are free to act upon the rods 41 to draw the latter downward, and thereby move the cross-head 4 toward the cross-head 1, with the result that the connecting-rods 32 are forced downward, thereby rocking the dogs 26 and throwing their toothed inner ends into positive engagement with opposite sides of the doublefaced rack-bars. In this manner the elevatorear is instantly locked to the guides at opposite sides of the shaft. Connterbalance-ca- IOO IIO

IZO

bles are preferably attached to the stationary cross-head 1, passing upward through the cross-head4and between the frame-plates lof the shackle and over the usual pulleys,

where they are connected to the usual weights for counterbalancing the elevator, thereby serving to prevent the elevator-car from gaining too great -an impetus before the safetyclutches are thrown into operation.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the `principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement hereinabove set forth;

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be ysecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle comprising pivoted jaws, jawactuating rods connected thereto and carried by the car, and means within the elevatorshaft for actuating said rods and releasing the jaws of the shackle from the hoisting-cable, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an elevator-car, and guideson which the same moves, of a shackle connected with the car and comprising relatively-movable jaws, jaw-actuating rods extending in opposite directions from the jaws toward the guides, and cooperating devices on the rods and guides, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle connected therewith and comprising pivoted and relatively-movable jaws for engaging the hoisting-cable, oppositelyextending rods pivotally connected to said jaws, and rollers for moving said rods inward to operate the jaws when the car reaches a predetermined point.

4. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle connected therewith and comprising relatively-movable jaws for gripping the hoisting-cable, jaw-actuating rods connected to the jaws and extending therefrom in opposite directions toward the elevatorguides, rollers journaled in the outer ends of said rods, and other rollers cooperating therewith and mounted on the guides, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle connected therewith and comprising pivoted and relatively-movable jaws, housing-plates at opposite sides of said jaws provided with slots, laterally-projecting pins on the jaws working in said slots, and springs engaging said pins for holding the jaws normally in gripping engagement with the hoisting-cable.

6. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle connected therewith and comprising pivoted jaws, frame-plates at opposite sides of the jaws and provided with slots, laterally-projecting pins on the jaws passing through and working in said slots, spring-Y housings arranged exteriorly of said plates, and springs within said housings operating upon the pins of the jaws, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination with an elevator-car, of guides therefor, each of said guides being of sectional construction and comprising inner and outer plates or sections, and an intermediate section consisting of a doublefaced rack-bar having teeth at its opposite sides which are included and housed between and protected by the inner and outer plates or sections; the several sections being securely united by through fastening devices, which prevent relative movement of the sections, substantially as described.

8. The combination with an elevator-car, of a shackle connected therewith and comprising jaws for gripping the hoisting-cable, jaw-actuatingr rods connected to the jaws, means for actuating said rods, guides for the rods, and a break-pin connected with one of the guides and engaging an opening in the adjacent rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

Jos. F. ECKARD, CHARLES R. ODONNELL. 

